Tubular axle



Iinrrn Prares EDGAR PEOKHAM, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TO LAKESHORE TUBULAR AXLE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TUBULAR AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,517, dated March10, 1885.

Application nica april 29, 1384. (No moat-i.)

fo all whom it may con/cern.-

Be it known that l, EDGAR PEcKHAM, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Tubular Axles, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to furnish at ro a reduced cost ofmanufacture a hollow axle with tapering spindles which shall beself-lubricating and possess the same advantages of maximum strengthwith minimum weight of material as the ordinary taper swaged axle withI5 the smooth finish of the solid carriage-axle. but have a greaterdiameter throughout, and thus obtain a better bearing in the boxes ofthe wheels, and consequently cause the wagon to run easier than eitherof the aforesaid prior 2O axles.

Hitherto tubular axles with tapering spindles have been formed solely bythe swaging process, which compresses the spindles circumferentially tothe requisite taper. The

consequence was that the interior ofthe spindlcs became contractedgradually from the inner end of the spindles to the outer end thereof,andthe bottom portion of the cavity of the spindles was thus madedescending toward the inner end. rIhis renders it impossible to utilizesaid cavity as a lubricant-reservoir to successfully lubricate theexterior oi' the spindle, inasmuch as the lubricant is caused to iiowtoward the inner end of the 3 5 cavity ofthe spindle, and if emittedthere to the exterior of the spindle the outer and greater portion Vofthe spindle would be left dry. Furthermore, the swaging process left thespindles with a rough surface, and some- 40 times out of true, owing tothe want of a proper fit of the dies; hence, when it is desired torender said swaged spindles smooth and true the extra expense ofgrinding or polishing the same is incurred, although tubular taperswaged axles finished as aforesaid are not generally furnished to thetrade, but are usually rough and defective, as aforesaid.

By 'my invention I am enabled to supply the trade with aself-lubricating tubular axle having smooth and true tapering spindlesof 5o 'K nut thereto, and also for rendering the same 6o self-lubricating.

In constructing my said improved tubular axle I take a plainwrought-metal tube of the length of the axle to be formed, and afterheating the end port-ions thereof I insert therein a cold metal bush orplug, tl, fitted closely to the interior of the tube, said bush beingforced into the tube the requisite distance to bring it at o r near thepoint where the usual collar, c, is affixed to the exterior of the 7oaxle. The cooling and consequent shrinking of the tube securely retainsthe bush or plug d in its position. In the ends of the tube I secureanother bush or thimble, a, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings. 75

The attachment ofthe bush a shown in Fig.

2 of the drawings is made by inserting said bush into the end of thetube, and then subjecting said portion of thev tube to a weldingheat andto sufcient hammering to eifectually 8o weld the bush in the tube. Acold iron or steel bar should be inserted in the bush during theoperation.

The attachment of the bush a as represented in Fig. 3 of the drawingsconsists in providing 8 5 the interior of the end portion of the tubeand the exterior of the bush with corresponding screw-threads, and,after applying to the bush sal-ammoniac or other corrosive, screwing thebush into the tube. The corrosion ofthe sur- 9c faces in contact witheach other serves to cement the parts together. After thetwo bushes dand a are secured in the tube I mount the latter on a suitable lathe,the bushes then serving as central bearings for the live and deadspindles of the lathe, and after setting the lathe in motion I apply asuitable cutting or abrading tool, by which I trim the end portions ofthe tube to a uniform and smooth ta` l bination of the nut and bush,inasmuch as the 5o per from the collars c to the extremities of thetube. I thus maintain the interior of the tube of uniform size from endto end thereof, and produce in a `very expeditious and comparativelyinexpensive manner a tubular axle having smoothly-finished taperingspindles with a cylindrical interior. The cylindrical cavity of the saidaxle I utilize as reservoirs for lubricant, the bushes a and dconstituting dams of said reservoirs, the outer thimble or bush, a,having a central orifice, through which to introduce the lubricant intothe reservoir, and apertures or ports e c being made in the bottomportion of the spindle to allow the lubricant to escape to the exteriorof the spindle.

The importance of combining a cylindrical cavity in the spindle with atapering exterior of the same will be apparent when considering theirjoint operation. The cylindrical cavity allows the lubricant to flowfrom end to end thereof, and to be uniformly distributed therein, and bya proper disposition of the ports e; e the lubricant becomes likewisedistributed over the exterior of the spindle, the taper of which tendsto conduct the lubricant toward the large end of the spindle, at whichpoint the lubricant is most required.

In addition to the functions already ascribed to the bushes c and d,these bushes also serve to brace the axle, and the outer bush, a,affords effective means for the attachment of the wheel-retaining nut,by means of which I close the channel through said bush.

The nut and its attachment may be made in either of the forms shown inFigs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

In Fig. 2 the bush a terminates flush with the end of the spindle, andis screw-threaded internally for the reception of a screw-threadedshank, b, on the nut N.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings the bush a is made to project from the end ofthe spindle, and the protruding portion of the bush is screw-threadedexternally for the reception of the nut N', which isin the form of afemale screw-threaded cap screwed onto the bush, and effectually closingthe longitudinal channel thereof. I prefer the last-describedconstruction and comnut is much lighter than that shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, and its screw-threaded portion is of greater circumference,and consequently has a more secure hold on the bush.

I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not claim a tubular axlewhich has its spindles tapered internally as well as externally. Suchconstruction does not accomplish the object of my invention, it beingimpossible to render such axle successfully self-lubricating for thereason hereinbefore set forth.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The within-described tubular axle, consisting of a plainwrought-metal tube of uniform dimensions internally from end to endthereof, and having the exterior of its end portions turned off or cutdown gradually to a uniform taper and smooth surface, substantially asspecified.

2. A tubular axle composed of a plain wrought-metal tube of uniformdimensions internally from end to end thereof, and having theexteriorofits end portions cut down gradually to a uniform taper andre-enforced by bushings inserted in the ends of the tube, substantiallyas described and shown.

3'. An axle composed of a metal tube having its interior of uniformdimensions from end to end thereof and its spindles tapered externally,lubricating-ports in the spindles, a dam at the inner end of theinterior of the spindles, a dam at the outer end of the spindles, andprovided with a lubricant-induction port or channel, and aWheel-retaining nut attached to said dam and closing the channelthereof, all constructed and combined subst antially in the mannerspecified and shown.v

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal,in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the countyof Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 24th day of April, 1881.

EDGAR PECKHAM.

